Cairo, 13 December – IOM Egypt participated in the 5^thUN Alliance on Civilizations (UNAOC) Symposium on Spread No Hate Against Migrants and Refugees which was held in Cairo in collaboration with Egypt Media Development Program (EMDP).

The focus of the symposium was the role of media in steering public opinion towards migrants and refugees, and on mitigation measures – under the UNAOC’s #NoHateSpeech initiative – to tackle the rising incidence of hate speech.

The symposium was attended by more than 80 journalists and media professionals working in the MENA region, as well as representatives of international organizations, the private sector, academia, and civil society. The event included five panel discussions, covering diverse approaches to decrease hate speech against migrants and refugees.

IOM Egypt’s Head of Office, Mr. Amr TAHA, spoke at a panel on Traditional Media as a Vehicle for Hate Speech. He reiterated that migration has a positive impact on societies and that media narratives play a key role in shaping the public’s perception.

This initiative supports the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals 10, Reduced Inequalities, and 16, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, particularly by contributing to “[the reduction of] all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.” It is also in line with the realization of Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy: Vision 2030 – “a society that provides protection and support to marginalized and vulnerable groups.”